If You Still Believe
by Naito no tsubasa
Summary: With his yami destroyed, Malik is recovering and coming to terms with what he's done and what he must now do.
1. There Aren't Words

Naito: I real really apologize for the fact that this skips back and forth between genres. It goes from angst to humour and back again. And I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Be glad.  
  
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**Malik's Thoughts**  
  
I knew it would hurt. I'm still not sure how I knew. But, nonetheless, I knew. So I naturally tried to prepare myself. However, nothing could prepare me for the immense pain that tore through my body as my darker half was ripped from me. Every bone, every muscle, every cell of my bring seemed to burn with an invisible fire. I remeber a dark aura forming around me and for a brief moment, I was once again face to face with my Yami. Though, I was in control of my body now, and he was the spirit. He almost seemed smug for that short moment I saw him. Then there was a flash of dark light , like a negative photograph and he was gone. The next thing I remeber though, is roughly hitting the ground. Then- as unoriginal as it sounds- there was nothing but black.  
  
When I next awoke, I was in a bed. Not a hospital bed. Just a bed. In a bedroom. That's all I knew though. That tends to happen when you can, for the most part, see only what is immediately above you. As with most people, my first instinct was to try to leave the bed. Unfortunately, I found I only had the strength to lift my head. Nothing else would work. I cursed several times under my breath, in Egyptian of course. It was then that I had the wonderful idea to call for someone. So I yelled for the only person I trusted at this moment.  
"Isis?" My voice was only a squeak at first, but I tried again. "Isis!" It came out louder this time and almost seemed to echo in the room. I waited a few moments and like always, my sister appeared in the doorway.  
"Oh Malik!" She rushed accross the room to me and wrapped her arms around me. A little too tight I might add. She must have seen me wince because she relaxed.  
"Isis..." I replied. It seemed like a stupid thing to say when I think about, but at that moment my head was still clouded and it was all I could think of to calm her down.   
"How are you feeling?" She asked, sitting lightly on the edge of the bed. I closed my eyes and shook my head.  
"Sister, there aren't words to describe it." This seemed to send her over the edge. Silent tears slipped down over her cheeks. She laughed a little.  
"I can't believe this. You're the one in agony and I'm crying." I couldn't help but smile at that. Yes, I do smile. Just not often.  
"No matter." I told her. Suddenly, as if my mind ahad returned home to my body, I could think straight again. And I had a lot of questions. The first was rather redudant, but I had to ask anyway. "Where are we?" She paused for a moment, almost hesitant to tell me. And when she did finally speak, it was quiet.  
"Seto Kaiba's mansion." I narrowed my eyes and glared at her.  
"Why?" I growled. Past experiences had taught me to get the explanation before I did something I might later regret.  
"Malik, please listen." Isis pleaded. "You were injured and Seto made the offer to me to stay here until you were recovered. It's not like we had anywhere else to go." She dropped her voice even lower and stared at her hands. "Don't be mad at me." I admit I was at first, but there was something about the look on her face that made me stop and think before opening my mouth. True, Seto Kaiba had been one of my enemies. But enemies don't help you, do they? Why would he have done this if we were still on opposite sides? I knew only one thing. I needed to talk him as soon as possible.  
"I want to speak with him." I said. Her head snapped up to look at me.  
"He's not here right now." She told me. "Though as soon as he gets in I'll send him up." The pleading eyes were gone, and in their place was the look she wore when we were young. Happy with a touch of concern for me. "You know, Yugi Motou offered his home as well." This was surprising.  
"After all I put him through, why would he do a thing like that?"  
"He's not one to hold a grudge, I suppose. He seemed geniunely concerned for you."  
"When did all this happen?"   
"While you were unconcious." This seemed strange. I thought I had only been out for about an hour or two, but what she was telling me seemed like a lot to happen in that length of time.  
"How long have I been unconcious?" She smiled.  
"About a day and a half."  
"Oh for the love of Ra...." She laughed and toussled my aleardy messy hair.  
"Are you hungry, litte brother?"  
"Very. Though, I'm not sure that my stomach will let me hold anything down. On the other hand though, I've never let a mere obstacle like that stop me before." Isis raised an eyebrow at me.  
"I'm terribly confused, Malik. Is that a yes or a no?"  
"It's a yes."   
"I'll be right back." So, needless to say, she left. Once again, I was alone. Now, when you're alone, people say that you have strange thoughts. I quickly found out this is in fact true. Kaiba doesn't like anyone besides himself, his Blue Eyes and his brother. So why would he of all people offer? Yugi's offer I could understand in a certain light. But not Kaiba's. Unless.... No that couldn't be it. Not possible. Yes, I was thinking what you're probably all thinking. Seto is in love with my sister. I was still toying with this idea when a rather unexpected visitor knocked on the door.  
"So you are awake!" He greeted me.  
"Hello Mokuba." It was indeed the younger Kaiba, bright and cheerful as ever, if not more so.  
"So how are you doing?" He asked me, dragging a chair over to the bed.  
"What do you think?"  
"That bad, huh?" I nodded. "Bummer..." It was amazing how different one Kaiba was from the other. Seto was cold, calculating and was quite anti-social. Mokuba on the other hand was bouncy, happy and out-going. Strange.... It was then that I had quite the idea. Nobody knew more about seto then his own brother, right? Perhaps I could get the information I needed from him... 


	2. His Eyes

Naito: Sorry this took so long to put up! Or maybe it's just seemed long since I've been so bored lately an am waiting (im)patiently for something to come. This week is dragging!!! Oh, and I accept no responsibilty for the Mokuba: I gotta pee! thing. That was from my wonderful and exceptionally strange friend, Muffin. He suggested it. Not me. And once agin I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I'm dealing with it. So can you.  
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Isis' Thoughts  
  
I was only aware of one emotion at this time: relief. It was like I had been trapped in the desert for years and had finally come to an oasis. Sorry, I'm Egyptian. I relate most everything to the desert.   
Now, I am for the most part, a patient person. But I believe there is no task in the world that's more boring than making tea. However, at this moment, it seemed to be the most exciting thing in the world. I was practically bouncing through the Kaibas' kitchen. I couldn't remember the last time I was this happy. The kettle of water whistled, echoing my feelings.  
"I hear you, I hear you...." I babbled.  
"Do you always talk to inaminate objects, Isis?" I spun around to see Seto standing in the doorway, smirking. I went back to the kettle so he couldn't see my blushing face.  
"I thought you were at work."  
"I was. But Mokuba insists I come home for lunch." He explained. "Speaking of little brothers, how is yours?"  
"Awake. Weak as a kitten though. He can't lift anything but his head. He's.... confused too. He's not sure where he goes from here."   
"Give him time. He'll be okay. He's got you for support after all." He put a comforting hand on my shoulder. This only served to deepen the pink colour on my cheeks. Not wanting to embarrass myself I quickly found a way to change the subject.  
"Seto, do you know if this honey is fresh?" I asked. He shrugged.  
"I couldn't tell you. I don't remember buying it." I sighed, but used it anyway, stirring it into the mug of tea. Seto looked at me strange.  
"Malik never liked tea without honey in it." I told him. "I remember that our grandmother would give us tea when we were sick and Malik would always put way too much honey in it. She'd scold him for wasting all her honey but he'd just grin and laugh saying 'Well if you didn't want me using it, you shouldn't have bought it!' Course, when he was sick you couldn't believe a word he said. He would tell you whatever he had to so you'd let him go outside to play with his friends again. I know it seems hard to believe but Malik really was a happy kid. A handful, but nonetheless happy. Can you get me the strawberries from the fridge?"  
"Sure." He fetched the fruit while I tested the tea and got a bowl from the cupboard. I thought that my little trip down memory lane was rather pathetic, but obviously he hadn't. "Keep going. I want to hear more."  
"His eyes..." I breathed as a started to cut the berries. "His eyes used to be so full of energy. They were bright.... Almost seemed to sparkle. When our father died and his yami emerged, that was gone. They were dull and cold. He'd look at you and you'd want to crawl into yourself and die. It terrified me. I thought he was lost... forever." I looked at Seto and smiled. "But I guess I was wrong. Because today he did something he hasn't done in a very long time." Seto smirked.  
"What's that? Smile?"   
"Exactly." I realize that he meant it scarcastically, but it was true. "He smiled at me. A real, geniune one. And his eyes almost seem to have started to regain the innocence he used to have. Maybe he's not as far gone as I thought." I sliced through another berry and -unfortunately- my skin. I yelped and grabbed my finger with my other hand.  
"Did you cut yourself?" He asked. I nodded. "Would you like me to kiss it better?" I laughed but held out my finger to him. He was about to take it until, as if on cue, Mokuba came tearing through the kitchen.  
"Hi Isis! Hi Seto! Can't talk. I'm in a hurry! But I'll be back!" He called.  
"Mokuba, slow down!" Seto yelled after him.  
"I can't! I gotta pee!!!" Came the response. I nearly burst into hysterics, but poor Seto looked as though he wanted to die. I picked up the strawberries and mug and started to leave the kitchen, but stopped and turned back to him.  
"You can't know how much this means to me. Malik needs a safe haven to recover. I won't forget this, Seto. I promise."And with this, I left to go tend to my brother.  
  
  



End file.
